It took an hour and 20 minutes to summit from the Inka Trail entrance. We felt the steps since we had just done the trail (many steps). We also had a time issue with getting back for a scheduled lunch. If you can fit it in I recommend doing this mountain. There weren´t the crowds we saw waiting to climb its more famous neighbour. We had a great view on a clear day.

Early start at 5:00 am from Aguas Calientes. We followed the trail up to the mountain until getting to Machu Picchu`s summit 4,200 m (13,776 ft) easily identified by a Pachakutek flag. The morning was foggy.. but for a few seconds the clouds went away and we were able to see the whole neighborhood and Huayna Picchu just below us.

Once we got back to the neighborhood we started hiking up Huayna Picchu 2,701 (8860 ft). Now with a blue clear sunny sky. The view from the summit was amazing and unforgetable.

I enjoyed Machu Picchu, but would probably never do it again. I did the 4 day, 3 night hike in one of the most rainy months with a pack that was way too heavy. You don't even hike on the original Inca Trail until day three and see few ruins. The cloud cover finally burned off around 1pm and got amazing views of Machu Picchu and climbed Huayna Picchu for the views

This hike is more of what the actual Incan trail would have looked like. It felt like something out of Indiana Jones or something, with the trail clutter and trail rocks over turned with llamas grazing everywhere. beautiful redorange flowers on top. the sky, clouds and earth are absolutly amazing in peru and especially cuzco.

The sky feels so much closer to the earth in Peru - and the clouds broke nicely for me at the summit with blue skies spilling everywhere I looked. After all of those endless Inca steps, I almost expected God to reach down and high five me when I reached the summit.

Wow, a great hike. Got to the top from MP in 1 hr 5 mins and stayed on the top for about 30 mins. It was pretty foggy and the views would open up only a couples minutes at a time. Sweet exposure on the summit ridge!